The post Make the Best Spaghetti With Clams – Pasta All’Amalfitana appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>An Amalfi Coast Special
Release the well-known aphrodisiac power of seashells in this easy to make spaghetti with clams recipe that will make your dinner special! Date night, a memorable Valentine’s Day meal or even a regular easy dinner would become notable when you add a touch of Italian cuisine magic!
The truth be told, no Italian food can go wrong, but you can make it just a bit more particular by adding ingredients that work wonders to a relatively simple dish. Imagine the sparkle this dish can ignite on Valentine’s Day!
To many, pasta with clams does not even need a special occasion to make a great dinner. However, a good presentation, an excellent wine and a story to accompany it can make every evening a tad more distinctive!
The Story
In Italy’s charming Campania region, South of Naples, there is a world-famous road called the Amalfi Coast Drive. Stretching a little over thirty miles From Positano to Vietri Sul Mare, the magnificent Amalfi Coast is nothing but breathtaking scenery.
The narrow road bends at various altitudes, from sea level to hundreds of metres up on sheer cliffs. You get the feeling that you hover over the azure abys of the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the broader Mediterranean. Not an easy drive if you have an issue with heights, but still enthralling!
The region is insanely bright, with picturesque and quirky, picture-perfect towns strewn along in the yellow stone, the most well-known being Positano, Ravello or Amalfi.
Thousands of colourful houses perched upon the rock, church bell towers, chic hotels and restaurant terraces line up the length of the drive. Caves open in the limestone, and natural stone arches spring up from the mountain. It is an astonishing mix of natural beauty and human-made enrichment that mesmerizes anyone who visits the area.
I vividly remember one incident when the tour bus I was on got stopped by a flock of sheep crossing the road. The coastal drive was so narrow, quite harrowing at times, and the herd had no choice but to follow the asphalt way for about a hundred meters.
The modern-times shepherd, dressed in jeans and printed t-shirt, with headphones over his ears and a wooden stick to guide his flock, stopped for a casual chat with the bus driver. He recounted how often he had to do this.
Famous for their heated temperament, Italian drivers would protest vehemently and exaggeratedly gesticulate their exasperation.
Ma che posso fare io? Anche le povere pecorine devono mangiare! What can I do? The poor sheep must eat as well!
The man was calmness personified. The voice of reason spoke through him.
He was right! Rows upon rows of crammed houses covered the slope from sea level to as far high as people could carry building materials—the poor animals aimed for the top of the cliffs for green meadows.
I expect such encounters were frequent. The sheep got used to ignoring people, cars and irritating honking. The shepherd had an opportunity to chat with other humans. As for the tourists, what better opportunity to marvel at the scene and take thousands of clips to show back home?
If you’re driving towards Salerno, by now, you would have (probably) visited Naples, the ruins of Pompeii or Herculaneum and the stunning island of Capri. Hopefully, you would have stopped in Sorrento for a stroll on the beautiful commercial streets and entered at least one Pasticceria.
If any maleficent forces conspired against you to miss the mouth-watering Neapolitan pastries, you still have Salerno farther down the road to rectify the injustice!
When you stop for lunch, you’ll notice that seafood is omnipresent. After all, local fishers deliver every morning loads of fresh clams, molluscs, octopus, sea urchins and shrimps that make the delicious plates served in the elegant restaurants along the road.
Not only this is a thriving local industry, but the health benefits of what nature has to offer is an opportunity the Amalfitans moulded into culinary art.
The Italians eat pasta every day and still consider it a healthy lifestyle. I’ve had my doubts, but what if the western carb neurosis is just a myth in the end?
After all, the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest in the world. To understand more about it, watch Down to Earth With Zac Efron; you will be in for a few surprises.
Even if you have never tried seafood or find it funny to think of weird, other-worldly looking creatures that are not pork, beef or mutton on your plate, you should still give it a try. I am sure it will change your perception and level of appreciation!
If I could drive down the Amalfi Coast every day of my life, I would have spaghetti alle vongole each time, exquisite in their simplicity! Make an effort and learn the easy Italian words for spaghetti with clams if you want to impress the waiter and your entourage!
Like many other pasta dishes, spaghetti with clams require only a handful of ingredients, yet the result is so delightful that you’ll congratulate yourself for giving it a try!
So, give it a try, regardless of whether you are in a restaurant or your kitchen at home! And perhaps make it a habit around Valentine’s; you will love the effects of a perfect, romantic dinner!
Ingredients for spaghetti with clams
A pack of spaghetti
Fresh clams (frozen, if fresh not available)
Prawns (optional)
Cherry tomatoes
A good quality extra virgin olive oil
Half a glass of dry white wine
Chilli flakes
Garlic cloves
A bunch of fresh parsley
A pinch of sea salt and a dash of freshly ground black pepper
Method
Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water. Drain.
Before working on the sauce, boil the spaghetti in water (add a pinch of salt). I prefer pasta al dente, but there is no exact time to obtain the right texture. The only way to get it right is to try and see if you’ve reached the desired consistency. When you decide the pasta is ready, drain it immediately.
Meantime, in a large saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add garlic (sliced), cherry tomatoes (halved), salt, pepper and chilli flakes—cook for a minute.
Add the wine. When it starts boiling, add the clams and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to steam for a few minutes until the shells begin to open.
If you decide to use prawns, now is the moment to add them (make sure to wash them before.) I prefer not to cut the prawns as they shrink at high temperatures. Stir for one minute.
Add the spaghetti to the saucepan over the clams and stir well. Turn the hob off and add the parsley (finely chopped). You should never cook the parsley if you want to preserve the aroma.
You can sprinkle a few drops of crude extra virgin olive oil to enhance the flavour, then serve, preferably with a Pinot Grigio or even a sparkling white.
Buon appetito!
Spaghetti With Clams
Ingredients
- 500 g spaghetti
- 500 g clams
- 500 g cherry tomatoes
- 100 ml olive oil extra virgin
- ½ glass whte wine dry
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 pinch sea/rock salt
- 1 dash black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Rinse the clams thoroughly in cold water and drain well.
- Before you start working on the sauce, boil the spaghetti in slightly salted water.
- Meantime, in a large saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil.
- Add garlic (sliced), cherry tomatoes (halved), salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Cook for a minute.
- Add the wine.
- When it starts boiling, add the clams and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to steam for a few minutes, until the shells begin to open.
- If you decided to use prawns, wash and add them to the mix. I prefer not to cut the prawns as they shrink at high temperature. Stir for one minute.
- When you decide the pasta is ready, drain it immediately.
- Add the spaghetti to the clam mix in the saucepan and stir well.
- Turn the hob off and add the parsley (finely chopped). You should never cook the parsley if you want to preserve the aroma.
- You can sprinkle a few drops of crude extra virgin olive oil to enhance the flavour.
- Serve with a Pinot Grigio or even a sparkling white.
Notes
Disclaimer: If you have a shellfish allergy, do not follow this recipe!
I hope you enjoyed reading this easy spaghetti with clams recipe and decided to give it a go! You will find more like this in the Savour the Flavour section of this blog or on my Pinterest board with the same name. Please share it on your easy dinners board; it will help this blog grow and motivate me to write more for your enjoyment! Thank you!
An Amalfi Coast Special
The post Make the Best Spaghetti With Clams – Pasta All’Amalfitana appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>The post Make A Quick And Easy Caprese Salad appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>Simple Is Beautiful and Delicious!
As the name implies, the fresh, delicious and effortless Caprese salad originates from Capri – Mediterranean’s most fascinating island, just a short boat ride from Naples.
It might seem a humble dish, but it is one of Italy’s favourites. And we love it too!
The Italians take pride in considering it a homage to their flag: green, white and red served on a plate.
Caprese is ready in minutes and brings the unforgettable taste of a holiday in the sun. It is perfect as a main or side dish served with garlic bread or pita.
Just think of that insane blue sea, the elegant hotels, the cypress trees. Feel the fragrance of the island. Hear the cicadas chirping all day. Yep, it’s time for a traditional Italian dish!
If you decide to go all Italian, find that lemon tablecloth you bought years ago and spread it on the table.
Before you start preparing your salad, grab that bottle of Italian white or rosé from the wine rack and chill it for a few minutes. A prosecco will do as well, especially if you choose to add olives. Or a Martini, since we mentioned olives!
Here’s your dinner sorted!
Ingredients for Caprese Salad
Buffalo Mozzarella
Tomatoes
Fresh basil
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Sea salt
Ground pepper
Olives (optional)
Oregano (optional)
Method
Wash the tomatoes. Cut them in 5-7 mm slices. Spread the slices on the chopping board. Dry them with a paper towel to absorb the excess water. Sprinkle salt on all the slices.
Cut the buffalo mozzarella in 5-7 mm slices. Pat dry them with a paper towel.
Wash and dry the basil. Chop half of it and keep the leaves of the other half whole.
On each plate, mix the way you want the slices of tomato and mozzarella. Be creative; you will enjoy the end product more!
Sprinkle the chopped basil evenly. Additionally, you can use chopped oregano and pepper. I do, sometimes, if I feel like changing the taste a little.
Caprese is perfect in its simplicity. I shouldn’t overdo it. Once in a while, though, I feel cheeky and add a handful of olives. If you choose to be naughty, I recommend using Nocellara olives, a crunchy, crispy and mouth-watering Sicilian variety.
Divine in taste and having health benefits, the buttery green olives help absorb vitamins A, D and K, essential for healthy skin, good eyesight and strong bones.
Later, after you’ve had your dinner, if you’re still feeling naughty and have any olives left, why not pour a Martini and extend the benefits of well-being!
Back to our effortless Caprese salad, sprinkle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a winding movement over the entire ensemble.
Presto! Your dinner is ready. Buon appetite!
Caprese Salad
Equipment
- Serving plates
- Knife&fork
- Chopping boards
Ingredients
- 500 g buffalo mozzarella or 4 packets
- 4-5 pcs tomatoes organic, large
- 4-6 sprigs basil fresh
- 4 tbsp olive oil organic, extra virgin
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch salt sea/rock
- 1 dash grated pepper green/black
- 3-4 sprigs fresh oregano optionally
- 1 handful Nocellara olives optional
Instructions
- Wash and slice the tomatoes (5-7 mm). Paper towel pat to absorb excess humidity. Salt the slices.
- Drain the brine from the mozzarella bags. Use a different chopping board to slice the cheese. Pat dry with a paper towel.
- Wash and dry the basil. Keep a few whole leaves for decoration and chop the rest.
- Arrange the slices of mozzarella and tomato the way you wish on two plates. When you are happy with your design, sprinkle the chopped basil (and oregano, if chosen).
- Add salt and pepper, a dash of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
- Add the olives (optional).
Notes
Would you mind sharing this recipe? Thank you!
Simple Is Beautiful and Delicious!
The post Make A Quick And Easy Caprese Salad appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>The post Capri, Italy. The Best Place on Earth! appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>Lunatics of Rome
Music: Be Careful What You Wish For, Bad Omens
Movie: L’imperatore di Capri (The Emperor of Capri)
Book: The Story of San Michele, Axel Munthe
Capri’s shape is blurry, and my face is frozen. The wind and salty droplets splash me relentlessly. Maybe boarding the traghetto so early in the morning was not the most brilliant idea. But I did it nonetheless because it would give me an entire day on the island.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I will receive a commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure for more information. Thank you!
As the port of Naples is shrinking behind, my eyes are squinting longingly forward, glued to the familiar blue shape rising from the greyish sea at this early hour. I am becoming acutely aware of how much I’m yearning for this particular island. Capri, here I come again!
The traghetto finally docks in Marina Grande; I’m thankful to feel firm ground under my feet. One could say I should be used to the rocking of a boat after working so many years on cruise ships. This small boat though was more jumping on top of the waves rather than gliding through them. So did my stomach!
Thank goodness for a sunny start to the day! The life-giving star slowly thaws my body and brings back my senses. All of the senses! For Capri smells blue and looks intoxicating!
The bus takes us to Capri Town. I let the tour guide know that I would like to explore the town by myself and re-join the group before boarding the bus to Anacapri.
I’ve been here many times before; the island is mine to explore how I like. This time, I’m covetous, and I’m not sharing it with the lovely Americans from the cruise ship!
I have a goal: Giardini di Augusto (Augustus Gardens). So, I start my long uphill walk at a brisk pace. A few minutes on, I’m grateful for the coolness of the early morning. A hike at this speed is demanding even for a fit person.
I don’t stop at all until I reach my chosen destination. I swallow greedily the incredible coastal scenery, the steep drop to the azure abyss.
Next to the green Capri, two tiny rocky islands are peering from the hazy sea. Via Matteotti is sprinkled with gorgeous villas and chic hotels emerging from oases of olive trees and cypresses. The diversity of vegetation is something else in Capri. I’m half intoxicated by the fragrant citrus, rosemary, cypress and the entire plant life on this island!
Ingresso, finally! I’m out of breath, having jogged for the last part of the way up here! I buy my one Euro access ticket, and I step into a fairyland of colour, fantastic fragrance and art scattered all around the terraces of this beautiful botanical garden. A symphony of beauty created by nature with a bit of help from humans takes over all my senses and rewards my effort to get there.
I look down at the windy paved Via Krupp that leads to Marina Piccola wishing I had more time to afford a quick swim. No such luxury. A tourist’s life is a hustle! In my case, a hustle job I love.
There is one more thing I would like to do before re-joining my group: visit Villa Jovis or rather the ruins of it.
Her famous (and infamous) owner is two millennia dead; his tyrannical presence on this peaceful island had faded to some extent. It will never be erased from humankind’s collective memory, for the history books tell about his cunning, cruel, devious, and deviant ways. I’ll get there in a minute.
I’m rushing to take as many pictures as possible, many mental ones. I also want to impregnate this fragrance in my brains and carry it with me when I’m far from the island.
With regret, I leave these astounding gardens. I mentally thank the great emperor Augustus for finding time to set foot on this island two millennia ago amid turning a republic into an empire. I also make a mental note to re-read a book I came across a few years back: Augustus, by Pat Southern.
With a map of Capri in hand, I’m aiming for Via Tiberio. I’m on another brisk mile-long walk in under fifteen minutes and, of course, uphill again. On the way, I pass by Parco Astarita, another intoxicating symphony of sonic blue and green, more breathtaking views of the sea and Sorrento Peninsula.
One last stride and I’m facing the ruins of the imperial palace of the first in a line of notorious lunatics who ruled the world from Rome. At least, this is how authors of antiquity preserved his memory.
Only that this one, Tiberio Claudius Nero, allegedly messed up by drugs, alcohol and a pathological fear of being assassinated, gave up the world he ruled for a tiny island he was going to change forever. To this day, the inhabitants think poorly about him. The unimaginable cruelty the locals endured in the decade he spent in Capri is still indelible from memory.
I will only briefly mention his abominable debauchery and deviant orgies involving girls, boys, even babies. If you want to know more about it, read The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius Tranquillus. It will scare the life out of you!
Imagine you were the tenth child of a poor farmer who lived in Capri two thousand years ago. And a psycho with absolute power was building a palace next to your father’s farmland!
The man who was denied love over family interests and state politics (source: Augustus, by Pat Southern) might have just turned into a degenerate perverted sociopath once he held the reins of the greatest empire known on earth. Power does change people. What else could have inspired such horrible chronicles?
Of course, there is a debate that Suetonius was not even contemporary with the emperor and based his histories on gossip. I believe that there is never smoke without fire. You believe what you want! Roman brutality is common knowledge.
Apprehension takes over me. I wanted to see the ruins, but in the end, I decided against buying a ticket. I sense an almost palpable negative energy in the air. As if the spirits of the lunatics of Rome were still lurking among these ruins. It surely deferred me from my initial intention!
Now, this is new to me! I would typically go to any place with a historical value, whether it was an execution place haunted by undaunted spirits or a crumbly wedding altar. I would vividly imagine life in times of glory.
Not here, though. The thought of abused innocent babies is enough to make me take the way back to Capri Town. Enough Roman history for the time being. I’ll trade it anytime with the stunning scenery or anything else that could obliterate from my memory the lines in Suetonius’s book.
By all means, visit the place; it is part of the islands’ legacy and contributes to its tourism! I’m just saying it’s not for me. After all, what’s left of the once-magnificent Villa Jovis is now just a pile of bricks and stones. Ancient bricks and stones!
I made an effort to walk all the way here only to turn back at the entrance gate. Why had I read the damned book? Ignorance is bliss! However, my intuition is always correct, and I have learnt not to ignore it.
The walk back to Capri Town is way more enjoyable, and I often stop to take it in wholly. Festina lente, good old Augustus liked to say and right he was. Make hurry slowly!
The “Blue Fever” (“la febre azzurra”, as the Actor calls it) takes over me.
God must be a lousy football player. He must have kicked with the ball a giant bucket of lapis lazuli that stained this corner of the world with the most beautiful hues. The Blue Grotto waters are sprinkled with blue pigment, and the air of Capri is too.
Everywhere I look, over or through a church bell tower, treetops, parks and gardens, villas, and their adjacent gardens, the blue of heavens glows undisturbed by a single cloud. Everywhere!
“Vedi, Sonia? Siamo a Capri. L’isola del sogno. L’isola dell’amore!” (See, Sonia? We are in Capri. The island of dreams and love!”) said the waiter dreaming he’s an emperor. I’m talking about the black and white Italian classic I saw ages ago.
The movie comes back to memory, the beauty of the place amplified by the ability to see the colours, to smell the island’s medley of olive trees, cypresses, lemon and orange trees or rosemary bushes or hear it singing with mighty waves breaking into the cliffs, cicadas or birdsong. It is not the siren’s song, but it is just as alluring.
“The magic of Capri is eternal, no doubt born in the times of the Gods, for who else could have conceived of such a place that emperors, kings and queens have found it to be their Shangri-La,” says Suetonius. “With the island at your feet, it is said that the mystical views from here are a vision of paradise below, like an azure dream woven of light and mist where the profoundest of calm and silence reigns.” (The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Lives Of The Twelve Caesars, Complete by C. Suetonius Tranquillus).
Nobody could ever contradict the wise historian of antiquity. I re-read the book later and cited from it; it’s not from memory!
I’m back under the freestanding clock tower of Piazza Umberto I (better known as La Piazzetta) to join the American cruisers and lovely Antonia, the tour guide, just in time for lunch. I am pleasantly surprised that the tour operator chose this hotspot for lunch. I mean this is the heart of Capri. Everybody who’s anybody and commoners alike stops here for at least a cappuccino.
On a previous visit, I paid six euros for a small gelato. The primary revenue of the island is tourism, hence the top dollar. You will pay three times the price for ice cream but might sit at the same table where Leonardo DiCaprio had dinner a couple of months ago. It pays the price!
Funny how famous derrières have the incredible power to sanctify a place fiscally. Only Sapiens!
The lunch in the small restaurant was delicious. I had ravioli (divine!), a mouth-melting torta Caprese served with a dollop of gelato alla vaniglia and a glass of iced limoncello. The AC coolness appeasing the midday heat was much appreciated too.
Now we’re ready for the second part of the tour. A lady from the ship asks me what’s to see in Anacapri. I happily obliged: “You must visit Villa San Michele; you will love it!”
To me, Anacapri is way more fascinating than Capri; I’ll explain later why. The lady doesn’t seem impressed by my enthusiasm, though. She wants to know if there are more shops. Of course, plenty. And Villa San Michele, I mention for the second time. My fervour still doesn’t impress her. I understand; she doesn’t know yet!
We finally board the bus to Anacapri. Winding roads, hardly any traffic on Via Provinciale Anacapri, and we stop in Piazza Vittoria. From there, it is only a short walk to Villa San Michele. My favourite place on the island. My favourite place in the entire world, even before the fabulous Barcelona!
The best book I read during high school, The Story of San Michele, comes back to life as I step into the white villa and walk around the gardens suspended on the clifftop.
Axel Munthe has put considerable effort and time into building this place. It is something I appreciate hugely! That’s why my eyes caress every stone in the courtyard, every object inside, every pot in the garden.
The fascination of this island throughout history is never lost on me! Talking about Villa San Michele is pointless if you cannot see it for yourself. So go and see it!
Like the author in his youth, I wish I had enough money to buy this place, complete with its Egyptian sphinx recovered from Nero’s villa in Campania and never leave it! A man dreamt of my dream in another century. The good doctor built this place, lived here and granted it to you and me to see and enjoy.
If your imagination is as vivid as mine, you can surely spot Billy, the mischievous alcoholic baboon, hanging about the fig tree. Or see old Pacciale digging up Roman relics “not worth a baiocco” in the vineyard.
Back in Piazza Victoria, the guide encourages us to stroll around or take the chairlift to Monte Solaro.
I’m on my way to buy a seggiovia ticket. Not many follow me. I get comfortable on my chair and enjoy the journey over the local’s beautiful villas and gardens. I am mindful not to drop my shoes. Le scarpe are not cheap on the island either, albeit beautiful.
I greet in fluent Italian a few cheerful locals working their allotments as the chair lift gets closer to Monte Solaro. A few excited tourists climbing down tell me it’s so beautiful, they are sorry to take the trip back down. I know I’ll feel the same.
On the stone-paved platform, I enjoy a 360-degree view greedily. The Bay of Naples, the Vesuvius, the Amalfi Coast, and the infinite Tyrrhenian Sea are all bathed in a myriad of blue shades on the horizon. From the top of the island, the vista is more breathtaking, if that’s even possible. The gods made use of their most fabulous architectural skills when they created this place.
I salute a handless marble Augustus gazing protectively over the Bay of Naples. I allow time for a cappuccino on the terrace. My mind drifts again to the movie while I enjoy the blue silence of the place.
La febre azzurra! Perhaps the Actor was right to call it so. “Comme tutto e bello e poetico qui, Antonio!” the elated Actor told his friend. Indeed, everything is beautiful and poetic here. And he went on: “If I had to choose a place to die, I’d choose this island!“
If I had to choose a place to live, I’d choose Capri over any other place in this world! Says I!
Italy is, of all the European countries, and will forever be the most outstanding travel destination for her incredible history, art, culture, scenery, lifestyle, and everything else in between. From the Alps in the north to Sicily in the south, every patch of this blessed land has something fabulous to show and teach you.
Everything good in today’s world is from Italy: food, vino, shoes and clothes, cars, art, history, language. Tutto!
When the supervolcano under the Bay of Naples’ azure waters will erupt, sending a nuclear blast wave over Europe, Capri will be the first to abandon the Tyrrhenian and rise to the heavens to become the new Olympus. The gods will claim it back someday. For now, let’s be thankful that they gave it to us for a while to visit, enjoy, smell, hear, live and fill our hearts.
If you ever travel around Campania and don’t take a traghetto to Capri, know that you’re committing the ultimate sacrilege! Says I! And read the book! Anacapri and San Michele are one and the same!
Lunatics of Rome
The post Capri, Italy. The Best Place on Earth! appeared first on The World Is an Oyster.
]]>